Self-objectification and muscle dysmorphia among African males : self-esteem and Afrocentric identification as mediators

Abstract

Body image concerns have been a worldwide issue in females and recently there is rising literature on male body dissatisfaction and self-objectification. The present study used a quantitative method to explore the possible mediator role of self esteem and ethnic identity in the relationship between self-objectification and muscle dysmorphia. A purposive sample (N = 348) of male undergraduates at the University of Limpopo was used and data was collected using a structured and composite questionnaire within a correlation research design. Correlation analysis found a statistically significant relationship between self-objectification and muscle dysmorphia (p < .05), but there was no relationship between ethnic identification and muscle dysmorphia (p >. 05). Mediational analysis showed that self-esteem does mediate the association between self-objectification and muscle dysmorphia